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Board Meeting August 29, 2024

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This is my perspective taken from a series of live posts so it is mostly written in the present tense with my reactions mixed in and some clarifying updates and edits added later. It should be only be relied on as contemporaneous notes. Specific speakers, quotations, and anything can be verified through the recorded video.

Live Video​

Lead Up​

Souderton school board member Bill Formica tweeted that the Vice President of the United States "blew a lot of dudes" among other tasteless things on his X and Truth Social accounts and issued a non-apology last week to the community.

Tonight is a rally at 6pm organized by local parents calling for his resignation followed by the scheduled school board meeting at 7pm both at the local middle school. A counter-rally is also scheduled by his supporters for the same time.

Background News Articles​

Arrival​

5:56pm - 6:25pm

ABC6 is here. The meeting doesn’t start for 65 minutes and the parking lot is filling up like it’s a sporting event.

Quite the crowd for an event like this. Lots of signs and news cameras watching. I imagine there will be some extended news coverage after this.

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A rally speaker calls out Formica as being the treasurer of State Rep. Donna Schuren’s campaign (she was the one who suggested he appointed to the board). Now they are reading his previous posts including “Kyle Rittenhouse is a hero.”

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One of the tweets (of ten or eleven here printed on giant signs). Next speaker comes up with a history of Formica’s appointment and three percenter tattoo.

They are reading out the list of character that are expected of every student in the district and how it contrasts with Formica behavior and language.

Filing In​

6:25pm - 7:05pm

This is the line to get into the building. I’ve been told there’s only seating for a little over 500 people and there seems to be at least that many in line waiting to get in not counting those in the parking area.

Below is a sign that every person in the auditorium needed to pass on their way into the school, and for reference, this is one of district director Bill Formica’s tweets about the VPOTUS Kamala Harris, a bit of a contrast for sure.

This auditorium is going to be filled to capacity in only a matter of minutes. So far I’ve only spotted one MAGA hat down front. Quite possibly the wildest school board meeting I’ve ever attended already, and its 11 minutes to (scheduled) gavel.

Gavel Down​

7:05pm - 7:14pm

The chair is directing that all non-agenda items will be held until the end, and may ask people off topic to hold comments until later. Random laughter from the audience. He notes that school police presence is normal. Says profanity will not be tolerated and audience erupts again.

Solicitor: This is not a town meeting per PA law, not for exchange of ideas. Meetings must be public and purpose is listening by the board. Lack of response should not be construed as an opinion.

Solicitor: What rights does the board have to address board member conduct? There is no impeachment available under public school code. Only procedure was written in ‘49 for lack of attendance without excuse, they can be excluded after due process hearing. District Atty. Steele can determine board member committed a high crime. None apply here.

Solicitor: State legislature does not allow agenda items under sunshine law unless posted 24 hours in advance. Recently asserted in Parkland school district case, adding items prohibited.

First Public Comment​

7:14pm - 7:18pm

Alex Wisser on agenda item 5.6 (ratify personnel items): Consider attaching attachments for all agenda items regarding compensation.

Elise Bowers (runner up for Formica’s seat): Asks about school clubs being approved. Chair’s mic had some issues. Board says list will be posted shortly. She asks about Formica public apology he said he would make in his letter last week. Chair says not related to the agenda. Calls of “coward” followed by applause. Chair says Bowers has 20 seconds as she calls point of order.

Member of crowd yells "Time's up" from behind me.

Next speaker Walderberger wants to address agenda item change, and agenda resolution. Solicitor says not applicable. Chair lets him talk. Solicitor replies they follow modified Roberts rules but the sunshine law has precedence over meeting rules, says “people speed and get caught but it doesn’t make it right.”

Superintendent Report​

7:18pm

Superintendent: Lovely auditorium, great start of the school year. Report complete.

7:19pm

Consent agenda passes. Next up, future meetings. Solicitor has no report.

Unfinished Business​

7:19pm - 7:28pm

Unfinished business: Chair reminds speakers for non-agenda items, max 90 min with the chair facilitating. Will use an automated randomizer based on name to select order of speakers with 3 minutes each, each may waive their time. If people signed up multiple times they'll only get one, and you must be local taxpayer or employee of the district to speak.

Acknowledges multiple comments from the public, community rooted in faith, forgiveness and hope. Audience scoffs. Reminds audience that everybody is human. Says vulgarity will “further the divide” and most comments that do not represent the community. Highlights death threats received. How do we hold each other accountable, he asks? Quotes anon apologizing for the profanity in their email, and admitting a previous angry email was not their genuine self. Highlights how angry response to Formica is “hypocrisy.”

Chair: Instructs superintendent to make a committee to discuss hot issues. Wants to move forward. Supporters of Formica applaud. Formica statement begins. Audience member yells that it’s not part of the agenda, another yells out “which tweet?” Another yell of “Coward.”

Formica Speaks​

7:28pm - 7:38pm

August 30, 2024 - YouTube

Formica: Include by reference his apology, mispronounces Kamala to ire of much of the audience. One audience member yells “it was true.” Says he grows weary of the hatred and division and the audience erupts. “I know I lit the match” he says. My criticism is rooted in her policy and not her race and gender, he says. Audience continues to shout over his words.

[I lost a post here, will watch the stream/broadcast and fill it in later. Basically a bunch of shouting and Formica repeating points from his letter to the community.]

Chair threatens to adjourn with interruptions. Formica blames “the haters” and says he has felt a profound peace since leaving social media.

Formica: Social media is the problem. You should make sure your children are not on it. References “white alpha males” and says "you’ll hear all those things" but anyone who “truly knows him” will know those are true. Challenges others to show a more “racially diverse family than mine.”

Formica: Says a caller who threatened his wife, he gave him his address. He will not be threatened or intimated. Audience calling: time, time! References important work ahead of us, starts to stumble over his words. “I have already forgiven all of you who attacked me … I’ll continue to pray for you.”

First Recess​

7:38pm - 7:48pm

A member of the audience stands with a sign. “Sit down, soy boy” yells a man next to me.

Chair calls a two minute recess, says “We’re not running the Jerry Springer Show.” I realize at this point I am accidentally surrounded by Formica supporters in the rear corner of the auditorium.

Public Comment Non-Agenda​

7:48pm - 8:28pm

Formica, surprisingly, has returned to the dais. Chair gavels the meeting to order. Asking again: do your best, refrain from jeers and heckles. Respect opinions of others. We will try public comment, he says, with inherent threat of adjournment if not.

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Apologies for misspelling of names, they are not printed anywhere. In the following section speakers will be identified by their last names if I could make them out, and "Unknown" if I couldn't.

Sachs​

Sachs: 1A rights. Forgiveness. Mistakes. Says this is a political hack job.

Baldino​

Baldino: 30 yr resident, family. First public comments. Community in crisis, calls Formica rotten element. Born of neglect, failure of vetting. Vile character, international news. “A skunk can’t hide his smell.”

“Take your poison and be gone,” as many in audience applaud.

Unknown​

Unknown speaker (can't hear over the applause): Formica made a good apology, says everyone should show grace and move on. Quotes Elise Bowers1 internet posts: “Call alt-right what they are, terrorists” and another poster talking about Formica, “You look like someone who beats their wife and children and mpox for taking it in the ass.” Calls everything that’s happening a double standard, emphasizes shown regret on the part of Formica.

Lauren​

Lauren ?: Emphasizes character counts, comment shows inability to make good decisions. Your silence is deafening, she says. They were about VPOTUS, woman, human being, and can’t be disregarded. Degrading and misogyny. Can’t describe is as anything less. Can’t have in community. Hateful and prejudiced. Kids are watching.

Call of “Put your phone down, Bill” from the audience. Standing ovation for the this speaker, almost deafening.

Buckler​

Buckler: Hard act to follow. How did we wind up with a person like this on the board? Tells everyone in the audience to vote locally and make sure “no future Mr. Formicas on this board.” Asks each to stand and tell audience how they feel about him and his words. What are the consequences for a student does same thing? “He’s actually enjoying this.” She says of Formica, suggests he has psych eval, like would happen to a child. Will he deal with his deep seated hate?

Chair calls time. Reminds sign holder in audience to not hold paper in front of Formica supporters.

Manser​

Manser: Teacher and mom of two kids in district. Who do teachers serve? What does the school board serve? Integrity, goodness? Just because he didn’t do anything criminal does not mean you can’t call him a distraction and urge him to resign. He does not serve district values. Suggests DEI, digital citizenship training. Many people watching. Demographics are changing, she emphasizes. Fragile precedent, don’t drop it.

Morina​

Morina: Quote “We are a people who are not in the papers…gaps between the stories” from Margaret Atwood.2

Strides confidently away from the mic.

Kevin Shelly​

Shelly: Good to see active engagement. Formica was successfully elected. During campaign, an anon friend said Formica very opinionated, hesitate that he should be a school director. Voted for Formica. Grew up and went to school, strong community. Neighbor and him find common ground in love of community. Be sure to vote local every election. If someone I knew made similar posts I would call on him to resign. If my kids came with an apology would send them to their rooms. If you want any respect you can’t take those statement back. We’ll think about it every time if you believe the woman in front of you really deserves what she earned.

Unknown​

Unknown: Highlights the posts Formica made particularly disparaging the teachers to “stay in their lane” which was one printed out front during the rally. Where is your accountability, speaker asks to loud applause. They are disrespectful comments, profound misunderstanding of teaching. Lauds teachers.

Heckler yells something at him, he laughs it off.

Unknown: Undermines hard work of educators. Disservice to all. Lambasts apology, as all about Formica.

Chair calls time. Speaker continues and is gaveled.

Simpkins​

Simpkins: Complains about reverb on audio. Did a lot of praying and thinking, he says. Kids are watching what not to do, critiques screaming and disorder of anti-Formica groups. He serves God, serves Jesus. (Formica supporters applaud). Why are so many incapable of forgiveness. I’ve been forgiven through blood of Jesus.

Heckler from audience interrupts, speaker says “thank you for proving my point.”

Simpkins: Emphasizes kids bad influence and literature from Souderton libraries and ideas put into their heads vs what would be posted on Twitter. Jokes that no kids are actually on Twitter. Someone emailed his employer after he was on the news. Calls for a higher standard.

Torres​

Torres: Telford, 2 kids. Don’t know Formica. Could have chosen to represent himself better on social media. What we know, teachers overpaid, Spanish for illegals, slavery benefitted black Americans (scattered applause, heads turn). He must believe this. Not just about misogyny but the tip of the iceberg. 1A rights do not afford impunity from consequences. Cites school rules. He will not advocate for best teacher contracts, will he accept whitewashed history curriculum. Not a witch hunt, he is ill suited for the position. Wild applause.

Unknown​

Unknown speaker: Formica, you’re not going anywhere. Other speakers just want to hear themselves. Schools board doing an excellent job. Walks off to Formica supporter applause.

Derstine​

Derstine: Says she advocated for “pornographic” books to be removed from the library. Multiple boos. Some included racist and… Chair interrupts to calls out Elise Bowers, asks her to put sign down. From the back someone shouts: “Character counts.”

Voice behind me says dryly: “She home schools.”

Derstine continues, reading from PUSH by Sapphire3, and using an AAVE voice to do it. Many in audience are really unhappy. “Hurry up (n word)” she reads from the book. More audience interruption. At more n words read from the book, a black woman in the audience calls out "WHAT?"

Chaos ensures, chair gavels, lots of yelling. Chair calls time to enormous applause.

Not sure what the book is. Will try to find out.

Chair says: if can’t through comments in 55 min will shut down. Audience is upset, standing. Will give two warnings, Chair says.

Bowers stands and calls to the audience please just let her finish so she can be done. Chair tells her to sit.

Derstine continues reading after chair gives her 30 more seconds. Elise still standing. Formica at dais with hands tented appears to be enjoying the distraction. Chair calls time.

Second Recess​

8:28pm - 8:36pm

Chair calls two minute recess to discuss. Probably whether he can adjourn the meeting legally. Woman behind me says Unknown speaker is named Kaitlin Derstine of Soudy Strong Conservatives group.

Public Comment Non-Agenda Continues​

8:36pm - 9:24pm

Chair gavels in.

Chair: "Please just speak," he says. Gives Derstine 20 more seconds and then move on.

Derstine​

Derstine: Pornographic books, oral and anal sex, sex apps to meet up with adults for sex. That’s what’s in the books that I asked to be removed and same parents calling for Formica resignation. Formica supporters applaud.

Donnell​

Donnell: 20 years admin in Upper Dublin. Says character counts. Not about politics, about right and wrong. Posting by Formica is a pattern and you can stand up and loudly decry his conduct. Hold kids, teachers, coaches accountable. “This is a no-brainier.” Let the school board move forward.

Bowers​

Bowers: Finally up. Says community will not be placated by their inability to act. Respecting sunshine laws (subverted by Formica appointment) asks Chair if the quotes are acceptable. Mr. Keith will not answer. She says I thought I’d try and audience laughs. Asks rest of board for roll call whether they agree, board declines. From a legal standpoint boards must appear united, but silence is complicity. Show our students what character we have. Ends with “character counts.”

Kidd​

Kidd: Won’t repeat other speakers. Formica turned school district into embarrassment. Teachers will leave, hiring will be hard, families will not move into the area after Google Search. Audience member: “So what?” And “What about the books?” Speaker getting derailed. Kids are watching, she says and leaves the mic.

Littler​

Littler: School teacher and principals are amazing at his schools. Special place and we’re glad to be here. Sad at situation. Should be talking about how to make things better but distracted. In his house believe in respect and consequences. Apology not sufficient for disrespect or hurt. Only solution for Formica to resign.

Sisler​

Sisler: Doesn't want to be here. Was relieved by conservative victory that would protect children from “sinister plot to reject their God-given identity.” Alarmed that a man is being wrongly pressured to resign. Does this truly warrant his resignation? Many in audience shout "YES."

Chair pauses time.

Sisler continues: If this was the consequence we would have “no leader.” This is childish bullying. Stooping about one mistake. Does character count or is it an “agenda.” Calls it pristine district rooted in hard work, faith, and community care. Many of you have moved to avoid “damaging policies.” Unwilling to accept amoral indoctrination destroying families and communities.

Audience is getting unruly.

Sisler shouts, “I’ll just shout louder, bring it on!”

At that moment the Chair calls time.

Unknown​

Unknown: Support 1A. Support consequences. He cedes his time to a woman next to him who's turn is next then realizes he would lose the time. Reclaims his time. Says he's going off script. Not all about Kamala, about teachers, blacks, Hispanics, minorities, other stuff. References Boebert, MTG, etc. to make headlines on the school board. Just go home, he says to Formica. “This doesn’t work out” and references disrespect of reading his phone earlier. Calls for applause from all who thought it was a terrible apology, receives big applause.

Next speaker Rhode is absent.

Gallagher​

Gallagher: Souderton 16 years. Not public speaker. Says Formica did not apologize to me, teachers, students. Wasting everybody’s time. [Formica folded hands, only one on dais rocking in chair.] Ironic when I signed for computers I had to promise they wouldn’t do what you did on the Internet. Resign.

Farrell​

Farrell: From Telford. Not a usual public speaker. Went to Souderon HS. Graduated joined Army, went to Afghanistan. "Told my platoon: they are all going home" They all came home with one Purple Heart that he received for a mild TBI. Makes him qualified to comment on leadership and the lack thereof, he says.

Standing ovation.

Farrell, cont: “Speak your mind but step out of the leadership job.” Addressing the board: Some of you smirk, some of you don’t give a crap, you’re all complicit. He walks off to applause.

Unknown​

Unknown: Recounts all of the Formica tweets in order. Tweet while he was in office: “Michelle Obama ugliest First Lady for sure” comments about Lizzo, body not made for “white people either.” More and more. “Some character!” an audience member calls out.Ends in a Tweet that says “it’s ok to hang politicians.”

Spiegel​

Spiegel: An alum of SASD, resident. Speaking on behalf of other students. Also prayed on what to speak about. Not sure why Formica should join school board if dislike teachers. Young speaker, long pauses and awkward cadence but genuine sentiment. Resign to preserve integrity of district, she says. Asked if Formica is listening and teachers told her to listen when people talk and put down your phone. “My teachers told me if I want to get a job and keep it I should be careful about what I post.” 1A and consequences redux. Proper apologies don’t place blame on the recipient, she says. Addressing Formica; you have a lot to learn from teachers.

Cimonetti​

Cimonetti: Says she’s been here before when it was time to replace Schuren with Formica. Everyone expected Schuren would be replaced by a close friend. Calls it cronyism and submission, a global embarrassment. Board failed in its duty, should be ashamed. All board should be held accountable. Was personally target of Formica misogyny, called her “Natalie Cuntanetti” because she spoke against his appointment. If he says to a parent in the district, what else will he do?

Siegel​

Siegel: Comments preceded appointment and board allowed it anyway. Apology is a joke. Can our students and teachers feel safe when he is in charge. Dr. Gallagher took a stand at teacher convocation, silence from board is unacceptable. Not a right, a privilege. Character does count and we deserve better. This is not about one comment after his rant tonight there are so many examples. Also too ignorant to serve. Leaves mic with 30 sec.

Longgren​

Longgren: Teacher in district. Community members voted for members that they share value with. For him to resign would be oppressive and controlling. You are all undoing the process of an election.

Audience: “You’re garbage too.” Chair gavels.

Longgren: Are there posts about DJT that would elicit the same response? Why did it need to be addressed at convocation? Not motivating to staff of SASD. I did not feel respected during convocation speech because of the politics and ideology. “I ask, where is the balance?” Tells Formica to stand tall and enhance student experience. “As a woman I was not offended, they had nothing to do with me or women in general--"

Chair gavels time.

Unknown​

Unknown speaker: Not one Republican stood for the veteran. Chastises anyone who threatened Formica, then says to the board “you might not recognize that, it’s the Right Thing.” “Every woman in here knows men just like you.” You want to be the black sheep but it’s “still a fucking sheep.” Chair asks to refrain. “She [Derstine] can read 50 Shades of Grey but I can’t say that?"

Audience applauds. Closes with “When people show who they are, believe them.”

Next speaker. I can't hear their name because of the applause.

Unknown​

Unknown next speaker: Opens with disappointed with what’s happened to this country. “If it’s true it needs to be said.”

She’s another book banner. Audience is not having it.

Chair says to audience “one more chance.”

Unknown continues: So much hate here. Kids see parents booing and shouting down because there might be something that would offend them. “Well we’re offended.” Says Formica had a right to say what he said. “All you hear is the mainstream media telling their lies about Trump and everyone else.”

“Wokeness in this whole land, we will skip over socialism and right into communism,” she continues, “We don’t need sex education.”

Chair calls time.

Mercen​

Mercen: Voted to elect all present board members. Majority elected them, which is why they are in office. Losers do not get to subvert the election process to install “radical leftist candidates on the board. By revealing that demand, these activists showed their hand.” Says opponents are only pretending to care about character, and can’t help interrupting people and can’t shut up. Says psychological help is basically threatening “reeducation camps.” Says demands of activists will not be met. Why are they checking his personal posts? Why would they know?

Audience yells: “They’re public.”

Mercen: “Monitoring their enemy for what George Orwell called thoughtcrimes.” Formica supporters wild applause.

Next speaker Shaw is absent.

Widener​

Widener: You imply that women and students of SASD are incapable of achieving high positions without sex acts.

Audience: “Pay attention, Bill!”

Widener: Consistent attacks and ongoing attitude are unacceptable. Comments this evening say he is not apologetic and does not know why his comments are bad. I forgive you and I do love Jesus but you must resign. Addressing the board, says hold your colleague accountable.

Adjournment​

9:24 pm

Chair calls time. Next is adjournment.

Motion by Mr. Nelson, seconded, ayes carry motion.

Footnotes​

  1. Runner up for the seat Formica won in the last election. ↩

  2. The Handmaid's Tale (1985) ↩

  3. This context was later added in a letter to the editor sent to The Reporter and published on September 16, 2024. ↩

Last updated on by Rob Carlson